


heirlooms

by onthelasttrain



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-17 01:40:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28841037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onthelasttrain/pseuds/onthelasttrain
Summary: “I got you something,” he says out of the blue. Theo frowns and lets out a small groan, but sits up on his knees as Robin gets off the bed and grabs his backpack.Theo bites his nail, watching Robin get whatever it is. He looks through his bag with more purpose than Theo would expect, his jaw clenched and muttering something under his breath. He's uncharacteristically serious, and Theo can't get why. They’ve gotten each other gifts before, of course; an arcade teddy bear that Robin won him sits in the corner and Robin still carries around the wallet Theo got him for his birthday. Gifts are common for them, and they’ve never come with the anxious half-smile Robin wears when he comes back up. “Here.”robin gets theo a special gift
Relationships: Robin Goodfellow (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina)/Theo Putnam
Comments: 9
Kudos: 35





	heirlooms

Robin is already home when Theo comes in. More specifically, he’s stretched out on the bed, his textbook in one hand and a pen in the other, his hair falling in front of his face and the pen twirling around his fingers, like he normally does when he’s concentrating. Theo pads over to the bed after he hangs his jacket up, his backpack dangling from his hand. Robin doesn’t even look up, so deeply buried in his work, and while a pout forms on Theo’s lips, a thrill runs down his spine at the same time. Will this be what it’s like if they’re living together someday? They’re technically ‘living together’ now, but he means in the future, in their own place, out of Greenedale, and Robin doesn’t have to hide under his bed from his dad. Will they still be like this, gently occupying each other’s spaces, being as close as they want, whenever they want? The idea freaks him out a little, but it excites him even more.

He climbs onto the bed, deliberately being a little rough, and the shaking of the bed drags Robin out of his thoughts and his eyes over to Theo’s, his face breaking into that dimpled smile that makes Theo’s heart skip a beat.

“Hey, you,” he says before pressing a sweet kiss to his lips. “How was practice?” 

“Oh, it was fine,” he says. He leans into Robin’s side, his head resting on his shoulder and his leg thrown over his. “Managed to avoid getting hit in the face this time.”

“Well that’s good.” Robin hesitates for a moment before his hand reaches up to Theo’s face, his finger ghosting across the fading bruise on his cheekbone. He had hit the roof when Theo had shown up with that shiner on his face last week, courtesy of a basketball flying too fast and Theo simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was an accident, he knows it, and Kevin, who hit him, was more than apologetic about it. It took a little more convincing for Robin to believe it, and even now his arm tightens around Theo’s shoulders when Kevin walks past them.

“What are you working on?”

“Chemistry test,” he says, accompanied by a heavy sigh. “The same chemistry test you have this week too, you know.”

“Oh, that test,” Theo says. He nestles closer until he can just about make out Robin’s notes, or at least attempt to read the thin scrawl across the pages, as well as the diagrams drawn with painstaking care. It’s not that Theo doesn’t care about school, he does, and his grades show it, but Robin’s enthusiasm for it knows no bounds. He’s eager to learn everything he can, often going beyond what that week’s homework is asked of them, and teachers adore him for it. It’s probably helped by the fact that he can write at the speed of light if he wants to. Theo shrugs and kisses his cheek. “Hm, you can tutor me.” 

Robin’s hand runs through his hair, still damp from the shower at school, and chuckles, the sound rumbling in his chest. Theo leans into him, the hour and a half of basketball practice taking a toll on him. Robin begins running his fingers gently through his hair, his touch feather-light, and his eyes drift closed on more than one occasion. His backpack sits beside them, but to get it would mean to disturb the peace that's guilt up around them and he really doesn't want to have to do that. Especially not when Robin presses a kiss to his head and seemingly abandons his own work too. Theo prepares himself for a night spent cuddling each other until his dad calls him for dinner, which could be a while yet. He could fall asleep here and be more than content to do so.

That is, if it weren't for Robin suddenly moving and pulling Theo out of his half-sleep.

“I got you something,” he says out of the blue. Theo frowns and lets out a small groan, but sits up on his knees as Robin gets off the bed and grabs his backpack.

Theo bites his nail, watching Robin get whatever it is. He looks through his bag with more purpose than Theo would expect, his jaw clenched and muttering something under his breath. He's uncharacteristically serious, and Theo can't get why. They’ve gotten each other gifts before, of course; an arcade teddy bear that Robin won him sits in the corner and Robin still carries around the wallet Theo got him for his birthday. Gifts are common for them, and they’ve never come with the anxious half-smile Robin wears when he comes back up. “Here.”

Robin sits himself next to him, holding a small wooden box in his hands. Whatever it is, it’s clearly precious to him, if the careful, almost revered way he holds it is anything to go by. Like it could shatter if he’s too reckless with it. It’s a small box, fitting neatly into the palm of Robin’s hand, and there’s only so many things it could be. Theo suddenly remembers seeing a similar box on his mom’s dressing table, years ago, and when he makes the connection, his heart almost stops.

“This isn’t the part where you get down on one knee, is it?” he asks, his throat like sandpaper even though he’s half-joking, and Robin actually laughs at it.

“No,” he says. “No, no, not that.” He takes a deep breath then and Theo’s hand moves instinctively to his shoulder, his thumb rubbing circles onto his neck. “It’s um… I wanted to give you this for a while, I just didn’t know… here.”

He opens it, his touch so, so delicate, and the sight inside leaves Theo breathless. It’s a ring, the colour of oak but cold and smooth as stone when he touches it. Intricate patterns of leaves and flowers chase around the perimeter, linking into each other with no beginning or end. They don’t look carved or cut in at all, rather they were part of it from the beginning. Robin moves his hand ever so slightly and the ring shimmers under the light, and the flowers and leaves turn from dark brown to sparkling gold. If he wasn’t amazed before, he sure as hell would be now.

“Woah,” Theo breathes. “Robin… it’s beautiful.” It honestly is, and the only thing rivalling its beauty is the smile on Robin’s face. Among other things, he looks completely relieved. Like can breathe again.

“May I?” he asks, his hand holding Theo’s.

“Sure.”

Robin takes it out of the box and slips it onto Theo’s finger. It’s lighter than it looks and slips on with ease. He loves it, loves how it feels and loves how it looks against his pale fingers.

“I knew it would look good on you,” Robin murmurs. The smile drops and severity creeps into his eyes however when he turns to look at him, their fingers joined between them. “What do you think?”

“I think it’s gorgeous,” Theo replies.. “Robin, I-thank you so much!” He pulls his boyfriend into a tight hug, letting his fingers tangle in his hair and his body press against his. His heart swells when he looks at the ring again, touched by his boyfriend’s gift. And admittedly, curious about it. It’s not manmade, or at the very least, not mortal made. It’s like an itch that begs to be scratched, and not just for him. He can read it in Robin’s face, the way his mouth opens and closes without words, the faraway, slightly sad look in his eyes as looks at it. It’s not something store bought either. It carries history, and Theo feels the weight of it around his finger. And it’s a complicated one to say the least, he knows that much. He nudges Robin’s shoulder with his own and laces their fingers together, his touch as gentle as can be. Robin is more than entitled to his secrets, but Theo can’t help hoping he lets him in.

“It was my father’s,” he says after a while. “Not Carcossa’s. My-my real father’s.”

“Oh,” is all Theo can say. He can count the things he knows about Robin’s family on one hand. He knows they died when he was young, that they didn’t see eye to eye on some things with the other hobgoblins, and that Robin gets his double dimples from his mother and that’s it. Every new piece of information feels like a new step forwards in their relationship, and this is no exception.

“He um… he wore that ring every day,” Robin explains. “And one day he told me he’d give it to me when I was older. And he said ‘Robin… you’ll only have one chance to give someone this ring. Make sure it’s the right person’.” He swallows thickly, tears glistening in his eyes. “After the… after the accident I went back and got it off him. I couldn’t bare the thought of leaving it behind.” He lets out a soft exhale, his hand shaking a little as it holds Theo’s, all the while Theo digests the story bit by bit.

“And you gave it to me?” Theo looks down at his hand and traces the ring with his finger. He doesn’t see it exactly, but he feels what this ring means to Robin, to his family. There’s no magic in it per say, not like the kind of enchanted jewellery the Spellmans might own, but it holds power all on its own. The right person. That’s what he thinks he is. Of all the people he could have given this to… he chose him. “Robin… thank you.”

The words feel far too weak, and so Theo pulls him into a kiss to make up for it. A tear mingles between their lips and Theo can’t tell if it’s his or Robin’s, or maybe it’s both. He runs his hand down his face and along his chin, following Robin’s lead as he falls back on the bed, his hands cupping Theo’s face. The homework and notes are pushed off the bed, and they instead fill the time by getting lost in each other, lost in kisses and caresses and silent ‘I love you’s, gentle nose rubs and tangling limbs. Eventually they come down together, cheeks flushed and eyes bright, and Theo wraps himself around Robin, his boyfriend’s chin on top of his head, and the ring shining in the early evening sunlight. 

This ring comes with a lot of history, one that holds a lot of love but also so much pain. But it also promises a future, and while he can’t guarantee it’ll be perfect, he knows it’ll be brighter.

**Author's Note:**

> if you liked it, please leave a comment or kudos :)


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